Motor vehicle



Sept. 2, 1941. R. GRISWOLD MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Ndv. 12, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I walter K. G

riswozd ATTORNEY-5' Sept. 2, 1941.

w. R GRISWOLD MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Nov. 12, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CJaZZcr I Griswold BY f ztvw ATTORNEY5 Sept. '2, 1941.

w. R. emswou: 2,254,282 MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Nov. 12, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. alier1(. 6risuo2d ATTORNEYS P 1941- W; R. IGRISWQLD 2,254,282 I MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Nov. 12, 1938 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. waiter Griswold ATTORNEY5 more particularly to wheel mechanism.

of box formation and the cross Patented Sept. 2, 1941 Walter a. Griswold, Detroit,

Packard Motor Car- Company,

Mich, assignor to Detroit. Mich, a

corporation of Michigan- Application November 12, 1938, Serial No. 240,101

11 Claims. (01. 180-64) This invention relates to motor vehicles and and engine carrying One of the objects of the invention is to provide vibration damping means between the frame andwheel carrying mechanism of a. motor. vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle with a mounting carrierfor thefront wheel suspenion and the engine that is anchored to and entirely insulated from the frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carrier for the wheel supporting mechanism of a motor vehicle that is mounted in floating and insulated relation with the frame.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the cost of independent wheel suspensions having vertically spaced parallel links by arranging the connections so that substantially the entire braking-torque is taken by the upper link to thus permit a less rugged lower link.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description takenin connection with the drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which:

' Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a motor vehicle chassis incorporating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary same;

Fi 4 is of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of Fig. 4;.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of Fig. 1;

Fig. I is a sectional view taken online 'l--I of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of Fig. 1;,

Fig. 9 is-a sec of Fig. 1; Fi 10 member of the frame;

Fig. 11 is a perspective the engine and wheel :upport mounts.

Referring to the drawings, it will be observed that the main frame of the motor vehicle includes longitudinally extending side members 2| and 2| connected adjacent their forwardends by a cross member 22,- the side membersbeing member being of inverted channel formation with outwardly exa sectional view taken on line 4--4 taken on lined-+8 taken on line 8-8 onalview taken on lgie 2-9 elevational view of the taken on line 5-5 is a perspective view of the front cross 2 view of the carrierfor cross member and carri '1:

. openings for the insulated to allow' a.

tending horizontal flanges 23 at the openbottom portion. The end portions 25 of the side walls of the cross member are free from the top wall and the horizontal flanges and are bent outwardly permitting the top wall and. horizontal flanges to embrace thejframe side members, any suitable means being employed to fasten the members permanently in such relation. An engine 26 has its'forward end in close proximity to the cross member and the-rear portion thereof is mounted on the manner.

Anchored to the frame cross member is a carrir 21 on which are fixed mountings for the forframe in any conventional ward end of the engine and for supporting means 28. The carcarrying the front steering wheels rier is rigid, being formed preferably of sheet metal, and is generally similar in cross section to the front cross frame member, consisting of an inverted channel having a top wall 29, side walls 30, and flanges 3|. The carrier is substantially coextensive with and nested partly in the frame front cross member. In order to insulate the frame from the 'carrier and to allow the carrier to float a limited extent relative to the frame, a plurality of damping devices are utilized, such devices being preferablyformed of rubber. tween the adjacent flanges of the frame cross member and the carrier are arranged rubber rings 32, and aligned with such rings on the underside of the carrier flanges are rubber rings 33. Bolts 34 extend through openings in the flanges and sets of rubber rings and washers 35, and nuts 38 are associated with the threaded anchor the carrier to the frame.

bolts are of suflicient size to provide adequate clearance to'prevent any possibility of the bolts-contacting the carrier. I

The ends of the carrier are also anchored and limitedfloating movement of the carrier in endwise. and longitudinal direc tlons relative to the frame. The carrier includes prising an angular plate portion 31 carrier wall 29 by bolts 39. Each end of the car-- rier includes a supporting structure between the walls 29 and 38'consisting of a vertical longitudinally extending wall 40, a base wall 4| secured to the wall 29 by bolts 24, a-top wall 42 welded to wall 32, and a transversely extending wall 43 55 extending from'the front of wall 42. Insulating ends of the bolts to The carrier.

Similar substantially means in the form of rubber rings 44 space the walls 40 from the wall of the adjacent frame side members and aligned with such rings on the inner face of walls III are rubber rings 45. Bolts 46 anchor the walls ll with the adjacent frame side members and they pass through openings in the walls and the aligned rubber rings and have nuts 41 associated therewith.

Rubber rings 48 space the walls 43 from the front side wall of the frame cross member and aligned with-such rings and the front face of walls 43 are rubber rings 4!. Anchor bolts I extend through openings in the walls 43 and the front wall of the cross member and the aligned rings, and nuts II are applied thereto. The openings in walls Ill and I! through which the bolts pass are of sufllcient diameter to provide clearance so that the bolts cannot contact with such walls. Thecarrier is thus anchored to the frame front cross member and can float a limited extent relative thereto as well as being entirely insulated therefrom. The insulation will. of course, prevent the transfer of vibrations between the frame and the carrier.

The carrier serves. to support mountings for the front end of the engine. A bracket I8 is fixed to each of the walls 31 by bolts N and such brackets project upwardly through openings 55 formed in the top wall of the frame cross member 22. Washers I! rest on top of the brackets and cup-shaped metal reinforced rubber members I! are mounted on the washers. The brackets have arms ll secured to their legs that extend in spaced parallel relation with the bracket top portions and between the top portions and the arms are arranged spacer Brackets II are fixed to opposite sides of the forward end of the engine and are arranged to rest on the rubber mounting members 51. Bolts Cl secure the engine brackets to the mountings on the carrier and they the rubber members I! and II. on opposite walls of the brackets II, the tops of brackets It, the spacers ll, and the bracket arms II, and are secured in such relation by nuts 02. The engine is thus supported on the carrier in insulated relation therewith and 'the rubber 'mountsaresuchthattheypermitalimited movement of the forward end of the engine relative to the carrier.

The independent suspension in for the wheels II are. also mmmted on the carrier. The wheels are rotatably mounted on stub axles lIandsuchaxlesarecan-iedbyverticallyextending members 04 in a relation such that they can be swung thereon for steering the vehicle. parallel upper and lower link structures support the wheel carrying mem- The lower link structures each comprises-a trans-.

H. The extreme ends of the struts are threaded and nuts ll are screwed thereon to secure the struts and the retainers with the brackets in the relation specified. The inner ends of the upper links M are fixed to the shafts 1'' of conventional shock absorbers 18, and the outer casings of the shock absorbers are mounted entirely upon the ends of the carrier II. The shock absorbers are arranged above the side members of the vehicle frame and a plurality of bolts 11 extend through the shock absorber housings, openings in the upper walls of the frame side members and the carrier ends in which relation they are secured by nuts ll. Spacer members 19 extend through the openings in the top walls of the frame side members and rest upon the walls ll of the carrier super-structures, there being sufilcient clearance so that the spacers will not come into contact with the frame side members. Spacers ll surround some of the bolts for 850111.-

ing the shock absorbers and they extend between the wall ll of the carrier and the wall 38 of the super-structures at the ends of the carrier. In-

this manner the shock absorbers are fixed on the ends of the carriers independently of the vehicle frame. It will also be noted that the inner ends of the links I. are carried entirely upon the carrier and that the rear ends of the struts 81 are carried by the side members of the main frame.

The outer ends of the upper links II have adiustsble U-shaped bearing ends l2 screwed there- '40 pass-through brackets ll,

extending strut '01. The forward ends of the struts extend through-Openings in the links I! and are secured in such relation by nuts ll. Threaded journal members II, see l'lg. 'l. are secured to the underside of the can'ier top wall ll" bybolts'llandtheinnerends'll ofthelinksli are screwed onto such threaded. -members.

" Brackets II are fixed to the underside of the frame side members and rear ends of the struts '1 are carried thereby. Surrounding the struts on each side of the walls of the brackets through they extend are rubber rings It, and ad-.

cent each of these rings is a retainer inember 755 on that carry bolts 08 on which are fixed threaded sleeves II, and the upper ends of the carrier members ll are formed with eyes in which are fixed bushings ll that are threaded internally and screwed upon the threaded sleeves II. The

outer ends of the lower links II are bifurcated and support threaded bearing bolts II on which the lower ends of the carrier members N are screwed. Suitable thrust washers II are arranged between the bifurcated ends of the arms I and the lower ends of the carrier members. The lower ends of the carrier members ll terminate in hooked ends II on which hang links II. The outer ends leaf spring II are carried by these links I. The central portion of the spring lies within the carrier 21 and is fixed thereto by bolts I extending through anchor plates 08. The transverse spring and the shock absorbers damp vertical movement of the wheel supporting structures and suitable bumpers l4 and I! are arranged to engaged with the upper and lower link structures to limit the vertical movement thereof. The upper and lower link structures, being pivotally associated with the wheel carrying members 81 and pivotally connected to the frame and the carrespecttothe threads on their journals, whereas the threads on the upper link are'made relatively tight with respect to the threads on their journals, and because of this thread arrangement the brake reaction of a transversely extending 2,254,282 forces will be first taken by the upper links so members 84 have .001 inch clearance and the threaded journals for the lower ends of the members 84 have .010 inch clearance. As the lower I link structures are not required to resist braking torque they can be made relatively light so that their cost is thereby reduced as compared with similar wheel supporting structures. in which the lower links must take all or a majorportion of the braking torque.

Although the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments, the principles involved are susceptible of numerous other skilled in the art.

beneath the frame, a

. versely applications which will readily occur to persons The invention is therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the ppended claims. 1

What is claimed is: v

1. In a motor vehicle, a chassis frame, a rigid carrier movably secured to the frame. a pair of link wheel suspension means flxed tn the carrier. a transversely extending spring fixed centrally to the carrier and at its ends to the link suspensi n means, and shock absorbers connected with the link suspension means-and mounted on said carrier. v 2. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame, a floating carrier anchored to the frame, road wheel assemblies supported on said frame and saidcarrier for up and down movement, a transversely extending leaf spring connected adjacent the outer endsthereof with said wheel assemblies, means connecting said spring and vibration damping meansto said carrier, acting between said frame and said carrier to resist floating movement of the latter, said last named means including rubber.

. 8. In a motor vehicle, a frame, -a floating carrier connected to and extending transversely hydraulic shock absorber on each side of the vehicle, said shock absorbers each having a housing fixed the frame and a movable piston portion in the housing. and a wheel carrier link on each side of the frame flxed to move with the adjacent movable shock absorber piston portion.

4. In a motor vehicle, a frame, a carrier mounted transversely of the. frame in floating relation therewith, and a wheel carrier link on each side of the frame-each link having a transextending portion pivoted to thecarrier and a longitudinally extending portion pivoted pair of linksbeing fixed to absorber piston member and the lower link of;

to the adjacent side of the frame.

5. In a motor vehicle. a frame having side members and a'transverse member, a carrier co-'-' extensive with the frame transverse member and connected in insulated floating relation therewith, a shock absorber at having a housing fixed to the carrier and a restrained movable piston member in the housing. and a pair of superposed wheel carrying links at each side of the frame, the upper link of each the adjacent shock each pair of links having a portion pivoted to the carriermmd another portion'pivoted to the adjacent side the frame.

6. In a motor vehicle, the

to the carrier above each side of the frame combination of a nested in said cross member,

between the out-turned edge portions of said cross member and said carrier,'means anchorin said parallel edge portions together but allowing a limited vertical movement thereof relatively, engine mountings fixed on said carrier and projecting throughsaid cross member, and a transversely extending leaf spring lying within and flxed to the central portion of said carrier.

'7. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a vehicle frame having an inverted channel cross member at the forward end with outwardly extending front and rearedge verted channel carrier coextensive with and nested in said cross member, resilient insulation means damping relative vertical and horizontal movementof said cross member and said carrier, means anchoring the edge portions of the carrier to the edgeportions of the cross member, and engine and shock absorber mountings fixed on said carrier and extending through the top wall of said cross member.

8. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame having an'inverted channel cross member at the forward end, an inverted channel carrier coextensive with and nested in said cross member, means suspending the carrier from the cross member but allowing relative movement thereof. resilient means opposing vertical movement of said cross member and said carrier relatively,- a iacent flanges fixed to the end portions of the cross member and the carrier, and resilient connections bonded to said flanges.

9. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame having an inverted channel cross member at the forward end thereof. an inverted channel engine carrier coextensive with and means 7 suspending said carrier from said cross member but permitting relative movement thereof, resilient insulation means between said cross member and said carrier opposing relative vertical movement thereof, resilient insulation means between the end portions of said 'cross member and said carrieropposing relative movement thereof trans-- verselv and longitudinally of the vehicle.

10. In a motor vehicle. a frame having a transversely extending member, a floating carrier member anchored to and beneath said frame member. resilient ins lation means spacing the members, a leaf spring beneath and fixed centrali'v to said carrier member. andwheel supportin link members connected to the spring' ends, the carrier member'and the frame.

11. In a motor vehicle. a chassis frame in- -eluding a transversely extending member. a floating carrier member coextensive with and spaced beneath the'frame member. the members to ether. rubber insulation means spacin the members. wheel'sup orting members connected to the carrier. and en ine mounting membersflxed to the-carrier member/and exten ing upwardly through the transverse frame member.

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portions, an inmeans anchorin 

